A good study that I support being done, though I worry that there is a risk here; though the article does note:

One significant factor that helped decrease the risk to girls was the presence and influence of caregivers, the authors found.

It also falls back on one of the typical statements about female behavior:

That risk is tied not just to an avatar, but to the overall image a girl projects online, they say. On sites that don’t use avatars, such as MySpace or Facebook, simply compiling suggestive photographs or narrative descriptions can increase girls’ vulnerability, they say.

… without examining or commenting on the behavior of males online – ie: that females open themselves up to this type of attention, but that the attention itself is expected and “normal” apparently.

According to the Associated Press (via Google news), the South Carolina legislature – well, the House at least – voted to pass a bill that promotes violence prevention in the schools while simultaneously barring the mention of gay and lesbian relationships.

Apparently, proponents of the bill are following the same logic of the anti-gay-marriage movement: not only is marriage between one man and one woman, but “traditional domestic violence” occurs between men and woman only.

Interesting piece by Channel 2 KPRC in Houston, TX about victims of sexual assault who are being denied payment of medical costs associated with collecting evidence, even though there’s a state crime victims fund set up for just that purpose, that appears to have plenty of cash in it… Text story, and link to video segment linked below:

I haven’t yet read the report in full, but I believe it demonstrates what those of us who work in the violence prevention movement know: that beyond the immediate impact of intimate partner violence there is costly long-term fallout and health implications. My thanks to the folks at AVA for this important work.

Interesting article by Kate Harding on Salon.com regarding two separate Wisconsin cases of underage sex that resulted in charges against perpetrators – one male, and one female – with vastly different consequences. The author quotes from an article on The Daily Beast which calls into question the imbalance in the culture – and by extension the criminal justice system – in the way in which we view male vs. female perpetration. Both articles are thought-provoking reads…

Props to our allies at Domestic Abuse Intervention Services (DAIS) who are mentioned in this Madison.com piece, and are dealing with an increase in service demands that no non-profit should ever have to deal with (especially not in a time of dwindling economic resources). Please consider making a donation if you are able to do so…